In the world there are animals with all kinds of physical characteristics. Wings, spikes, large eyes, claws and prehensile tails. Animals with scales, hair and feathers, just to mention a few, are mechanisms that each species possesses to develop in its environment and that, in turn, differentiates them from other specimens.
Do you know the animals with scales? It is often mistakenly thought that only fish have them, so we present this list with names and curiosities about different species with scales. Keep reading!
What are scales?
When you think of scales, surely the first thing you think of is fish, however, they are not the only animals that have them. Now, what are scales? Each scale is a rigid plate that grows on the animal's skin to perform different functions. Depending on the type of animal they belong to, they are shaped differently and cover either the entire body or just some areas.
The scales are made up of different organic and inorganic compounds and tissues, such as dentin, vitrodentin, cosmin, ganoin, calcium s alts, collagen, keratin, among others. The shapes they take vary, from circular, similar to diamonds or spatulas, jagged, small and large, etc.
Fish, reptiles, arthropods, birds and mammals may have scales. Next, we tell you what characteristics they share.
Characteristics of animals with scales
Depending on the family to which they belong, the characteristics of animals with scales are different:
Fish scales
Fish are animals with dermal scales,since these are formed in the mesoderm, one of the cell layers that make up the embryos. Fish with scales need them to cover the function of offering resistance to water currents and serve as protection. In fish, the main characteristic of the scales is that they cover the entire body, but they are flexible instead of hard. Thanks to this, they are able to move easily.
Scale Reptiles
Do reptiles have scales? Yes, they are animals with epidermal scalesthat covers the entire body. One of the differences with respect to fish is that the scales of reptiles are more rigid and that they also have bony scales below the epidermal ones, called osteoderms. Thanks to these characteristics, the skin of reptiles is hard and resistant.
Scale Birds
Although it sounds strange, birds also have scales, only these do not cover the entire body. As you know, the main characteristic of birds is the presence of feathers, but there is an area of the body free of them: the legs In birds, the scales are formed of keratin, the same component that their beaks, spurs and claws have. Depending on the species, they can be found on the toes and tarsi, or extend to the ankle joint, making the entire leg covered in scales.
Scaled Mammals
Few species of mammals have scales, but those that do are among the animals with terrestrial scales Among mammals that have scales, the best known are the pangolins (genus Manis), which have skin covered with large, hard scales. In addition, the muskrat kangaroo (Hypsiprymnodon moschatus) and the false flying rats (family Anomaluridae) have scales on their tails.
Scale Arthropods
Although it is imperceptible to the naked eye, arthropods of the order Lepidoptera (such as butterflies and moths) have small scales covering their wings. These scales give the wings the color and allow to insulate the cold or regulate the effect of sunlight.
As you can see, various species have these protective plates on their skin. Thinking about this, one might ask: Do amphibians have scales? The answer is no, since the main characteristic of amphibian skin is its slimy texture.
Below, we present different animals with scales, examples and characteristics.
Names and examples of animals with scales - With pictures
Below we show you a complete list of 10 animals with scales, in addition, so that you learn to recognize them, we will show you their photos:
1. White shark
The great shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is one of the animals with scales and finsIt is one of the most popular types of sharks thanks to horror movies. It is distinguished by its large size and powerful jaw containing two rows of sharp, serrated teeth. Great white shark scales are hard and sharp , which provides excellent protection. The fins, on the other hand, are located on the sides of the body, two smaller ones on the tail and the well-known fin that protrudes from the back.
two. Pangolin
Under the name of pangolin there are various species that belong to the order of the folidota (Pholidota). They are mammals found in Africa and Asia, so they are animals with scales and lungs Pangolins are insectivorous animals that feed on ants and termites, which they trap with their sticky language just like anteaters.
The body of the members of this species is characterized by thick and hard scales that cover almost the entire surface, except for the snout, legs and abdomen. These scales are made of keratin and serve as protection, as they wrap around their own body when threatened by predators.
3. Snakes
Snakes belong to the order ofidios They are characterized by having an elongated body without legs, a forked tongue, flattened head (in most species) and large eyes. There are almost 3,500 species and they are distributed throughout the planet, except for the arctic and antarctic zones.
All the skin of snakes is covered with scales, which can have various colors that help them to camouflage themselves with the environment. In addition to this, the very hardness of the scales helps them move along the ground.
4. Butterfly
Butterflies belong to the Lepidoptera order (Lepidoptera) and are popular for the multiplicity of color combinations that their wings present. What very few people know is that these wings are made up of small, thin plates, which is why they are counted among the animals with scales and wings,in addition to being insects.
Each scale is one thousandth of a millimeter. Between all of them they assume various functions: provide the characteristic coloration of each species by reflecting light, serve as a conspicuous element during mating or as camouflage against predators, and regulate temperature.
Discover some interesting facts about butterflies on our site too!
5. Crocodiles
Among the reptiles with scales are the crocodiles (Crocodylidae), which inhabit the rivers of America, Asia, Africa and the coasts of part of Australia. It is a species that has inhabited planet Earth for a long time, as it appeared for the first time during the Eocene and its morphology has undergone few changes.
The crocodile's skin is covered with hard and rough scales Thanks to them, it is able to accumulate heat during the day, so It is common to see them lying in the sun. When the temperature drops at night, they enter the aquatic environment to take advantage of the stored heat.
6. Woodpeckers
Under the name of woodpeckers several species of birds of the Piciformes order are included. It is possible to find them almost everywhere in the world and their distinctive characteristic is the way they hit the trunk of the trees with their beak, an action they carry out in order to feed. Like other birds, Woodpeckers' feet are covered with scales in an overlapping fashion.
7. Iguana
The iguana belongs to the reptile genus and the Iguanidae family. It is one of the most popular scaly animals in the world. It is distributed in almost all of Latin America, including Central America and part of the Caribbean. The skin of iguanas can present various colors,from different shades of green to brown and leaden gray.
The different species have in common, however, the presence of scales of different types. The iguana's skin is covered with small, hard, rough scales. Similarly, they have ridges or spikes of different sizes on the back, which are classified as tubercular scales
8. Giant Eagle
The Giant Eagle or Steller (Haliaeetus pelagicus) is a bird found on the shores of lakes and rivers in Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan and part of Russia. It is a bird of prey and is characterized by black plumage with stripes on the chest, head and back, while the feathers and part of the legs stand out because of its white color.
As for the scales, they are found on the legs and precede some powerful claws. They stand out for their intense yellow color, the same color that the sea eagle has in its beak.
9. Pineapple fish
The pineapple fish (Cleidopus gloriamaris) is a unique fish of its kind that inhabits the waters surrounding Australia and its insular territories, where lives on reefsThe pineapple fish scales are what give it its name, since each one is large, as well as hard and sharp at the tip. In addition to this, the species has a yellow body with a brown pattern.
10. Moths
We end the list of animals with scales with moths, lepidoptera very common to see at night, when they do most of the of life cycle activities. They are distributed in cities around the world. Like butterflies, moths have tiny scales on their wings, flexible and fragile. These scales give them their characteristic color and, at the same time, allow them to regulate their body temperature to survive.
